Animal ingredients rarely announce themselves. They hide behind technical names, E numbers and processing aids. This guide lists the ones you'll actually meet on US and UK food labels, what each one is, and where it tends to turn up. Every product verdict on Princess Tofu links back here.
Clearly not vegan
These always come from an animal, or so nearly always that you should treat them that way.
| Ingredient | Status | Also listed as | Where you'll find it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gelatin | Not vegan | Gelatine, E441 | Gummies, marshmallows, chewy candy, frosted cereal, capsules |
| Carmine | Not vegan | Cochineal extract, carminic acid, natural red 4, E120 | Red and pink candy, yogurt, drinks, cosmetics |
| Confectioner's glaze | Not vegan | Shellac, resinous glaze, pure food glaze, E904 | Jelly beans, coated chocolates, sprinkles, fruit coatings, pills |
| Whey | Not vegan | Whey powder, whey protein concentrate | Chips seasonings, bread, crackers, chocolate |
| Casein | Not vegan | Caseinate, sodium caseinate, milk protein | "Non-dairy" creamer, some vegan-style cheese |
| Milk powder | Not vegan | Skimmed milk powder, milk solids, nonfat milk | Chocolate, seasonings, baked goods |
| Lactose | Not vegan | Milk sugar | Chip seasonings, tablets |
| Butter, ghee, butterfat | Not vegan | Milk fat, butter oil | Pastries, popcorn, candy |
| Egg | Not vegan | Albumen, egg white, egg yolk, lysozyme (E1105) | Pasta, baked goods, mayo, glazes |
| Honey | Not vegan | Cereal, granola, crackers, cough drops | |
| Beeswax | Not vegan | E901 | Gummy coatings, jelly beans |
| Lanolin | Not vegan | Wool grease, E913 | Source of most vitamin D3 |
| Vitamin D3 | Not vegan | Cholecalciferol | Fortified cereal, bread, juice, supplements (vegan only if from lichen) |
| Isinglass | Not vegan | Fish bladder | Fining some beer and wine |
| Lard and tallow | Not vegan | Animal fat, beef fat | Pastry, refried beans, fries |
| Natural beef or chicken flavor | Not vegan | McDonald's US fries, chips, soup bases | |
| Anchovy | Not vegan | Fish | Worcestershire sauce, Caesar dressing |
| Rennet and pepsin | Not vegan | Animal enzymes | Cheese, cheese-flavored snacks |
Grey areas
These can come from plants or animals, or they're plant-based but some vegans avoid them for other reasons. Most vegans eat them, and we don't count them against a product unless there's a specific reason to.
Sugar
Sugar itself contains nothing from an animal. Some US cane sugar refineries filter sugar through bone char, made from heated cattle bones, to whiten it. No bone ends up in the sugar, but some vegans avoid it anyway. Beet sugar, coconut sugar and USDA-certified organic sugar aren't processed with bone char. Labels almost never say which sugar was used, so we flag sugar as a grey area and leave the choice to you.
Natural flavors
US rules let "natural flavor" come from plants or animals. In candy and fruit-flavored products it's almost always plant-based. In savory snacks, soups and meat-style products it's worth asking the maker.
Mono- and diglycerides (E471)
Emulsifiers made from fats. Most are made from vegetable oils, but animal fats are sometimes used and the label doesn't have to say which.
Glycerin, stearic acid and stearates (E422, E570, E470)
Made from vegetable oils or animal fat. In food they're usually plant-based. Look for "vegetable glycerin".
Lecithin (E322)
Almost always from soy or sunflower in food. Egg lecithin exists but is mostly used in medicines.
Sodium stearoyl lactylate (E481)
A dough conditioner made from lactic acid and stearic acid. Despite the name it contains no dairy. The stearic acid is usually plant-based.
L-cysteine (E920)
A dough conditioner in some commercial bread. It can be made from feathers or hair, or by fermentation. The label doesn't say which.
Palm oil and artificial colors
Both are plant-based or synthetic. Some vegans avoid palm oil because of deforestation, and avoid colors such as Red 40 because they've been tested on animals.
How to read a label quickly
- Check the allergen line first. "Contains: milk, egg" settles it straight away. (A "may contain" line is about shared equipment and doesn't.)
- Read the last few ingredients. Colors, coatings and fortification sit at the end of the list, and that's where most hidden animal ingredients are.
- Look up anything technical. Search it here. If we haven't covered it, the maker's customer line can usually tell you the source.
Every page in this guide
FAQ
What are the most common hidden animal ingredients?
Does 'dairy-free' mean vegan?
Are E numbers vegan?
Does 'may contain milk' mean a product isn't vegan?
Put it to use
Sources and how we checked
We reviewed the sources below in Oct 2026.
- Vegetarian Resource Group: What is shellac? (January 2026)
- Vegetarian Resource Group: Lecithin (April 2015)
- FDA Law Blog: FDA requires label declaration of cochineal extract and carmine (2009)
- Wikipedia: Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471)
Spotted a recipe change? Tell us and we'll re-check.